Not to open the incubator after you set the eggs?

Davey17 · **Joined:** Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:58 pm **Posts:** 5

Hi I have recently got a bellsouth incubator and in the instructions is says not to open the incubator after you set the eggs up and they start to incubate but I need to turn them 2 times a day so how do I do that and will opening the incubator damage the eggs? all new to this

OakA · **Posted:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 7:58 am

Hi davey,

In any incubator that you need to manually turn the eggs it is OK to ope it, as you say you have to turn the eggs twice daily.
By opening it you will give it a chance to change the air completely, when set naturally under a hen she leaves the eggs for a short time each day to feed, water and toilet and the eggs cool slightly, this is completely natural and benificial, the other thing is you will lose humidity when you open it.
In times of high heat and low humidity this can be corrected with a fine spray of warm water over the eggs once turned and you are ready to close it again.
I have worked with a manual turn incubator for many many years, get good results by doing as I've suggested.
In fact prefer the manual turn as you are personally monitoring the incubator and eggs twice daily and can head off any potential problems asap once you are aware.
Don't worry about it , open and turn your eggs, at worst you will only have it open for no more than a few minutes.
For the first 24 hrs I would not open it or turn the eggs, nor would I the last 48 hrs after you stop turning the eggs ready for hatching.
Good luck.

Davey17 · **Joined:** Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:58 pm **Posts:** 5

That is great I thought it must have been ok because I have to open it to turn them so it made no sense to me do I need to be quick about it like no more than a few minutes? also do you put a x on one side and a + on the other to know which need turning? sorry for all the questions the instruction don't give all that.
Thanks for the help by the way

OakA · **Posted:** Fri Nov 11, 2011 2:46 pm

You can do it at a reasonable pace, don't rush, 2 or 3 mimutes is fine, if for some reason they are over heated then a longer period is Ok as well, maybe 10 mins or so.
An X or mark on any side to allow you to know if you have turned them is fine.
In my incubator I have it set up so I only need to roll the eggs to the front of the tray in the morning and to face the back of the tray in the evening.As it is situated east west on the bench they face the rising sun in the morning and setting sun in the evening, that way if I'm unsure I only have to see which direction the eggs are facing to know if I have turned them, the older you get at times the more forgetfull you can be. [smilie=a_rolling.gif]

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Davey17 · **Joined:** Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:58 pm **Posts:** 5

Thanks mate I will let you know how it goes

DuckofPerth · **Joined:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 11:09 am **Posts:** 1

Just to let you know Dave I have a bellsouth 100 and I open it 2 times a day to turn the eggs it takes me about 3 mins to do it and most of my eggs hatch so as the others have written it wont be a problem and if you take 3 or 4 minutes its ok

Davey17 · **Joined:** Thu Nov 10, 2011 1:58 pm **Posts:** 5

That is good to no cheers for that

Karen_H · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2011 2:44 pm

This is good to know as I am getting a Bellsouth 100 for Christmas [smilie=a_cookiemonster.gif]

and I have never incubated eggs before!

CreamHens · **Joined:** Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:28 pm **Posts:** 1

Good for me too I will have my first incubator in the new year so reading all I can to get a head start on the best ways to get chicks to hatch

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